Saddle



Feb. 23 1926. 1,574,504

H. MESINGER SADDLE Filed June 11, 1925 jnvemtoz @gw/WA Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATESl HENRY MESINGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SADDLE.

Application filed June 11, 1925.

To all fio/wm 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY MnsiNGnR, a citizen ot the United States, and resident ol New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Saddles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to saddles, and more particularly to an improved cushioning means for saddles such as are used upon bicycles, motorcycles and similar vehicles.

It is the primary object and purpose of my present improvenients to provide an improved form, construction and mounting of the rear cushioning springs for the saddle top whereby shocks and jars which would otherwise be transmitted to the saddle through the vehicle iframe are eectively absorbed or cushioned.

In one practical embodiment of the invention, I provide the saddle with a longitudinally extending main spring having spaced portions adapted to be suitably clamped upon the vehicle frame. These spaced portions of the spring at their rear ends are bent to provide vertically disposed guides for the parallel end portions ot a spring supporting hanger rod which is pivotally mounted upon the under side of the rear end of the saddle top. Preferably, each ycushioning spring is formed from a single length of resilient wire having an upper| conically coiled compression section and a lower cylindrically coiled compression section. The ends of the main spring extend downwardly through the latter portions of the cushioning springs and terminate in guide eyes closely surrounding the hanger rods and upon which the lower ends of the cushioning springs bear. Thus, in the rebound or upward movement of the saddle, the rear ends of the main spring will eoact with the lower ends of the cushioning springs and compress the same to thereby absorb the rebound shock.

It is another object of the invention to provide means for attaching the cushioning ,system to the saddle top in which the use of nuts or other fastening elements which may easily work loose and be lost is avoided while at the same time, upon occasion, the saddle top may readily be detached and removed from the elements of the cushioning system.

With the above and other objects in view, the vinvention 'consists in the improved Serial No. 36,323.

mounting or cushioning means for vehicle saddles and in the form, construction, and relative arrangement of its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, il* lustrated in the accompanying drawing and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated a simple and practical embodiment of the invention, and in which similar referf ginal flanges 6, .said plate being covered on its lower side by a suitably shaped leather layer 7. The saddle also includes a top layer 8 ot leather between which and the base plate 5 suitable padding material 9 is arranged. The two leather layers 7 and S are brought together at their edges and stitched or otherwise permanently secure-d to each other as at 10.

The cushioning means for the saddle topineludes a main longitudinally extending spring 1l which is formed of resilient steel wire of relatively heavy gauge and is bent to provide longitudinally extending spaced portions adapted to be securely connected with a part of the vehicle :trame by means ot a suitable clamping device such as that indicated at 1.2. At their forward ends the longitudinally spaced portions ot this spring vare upwardly curved and connected by a transverse intermediate portion [13 of the spring which is pivotally mounted in a clip 14 secured to the under side of the saddle top. As herein shown, this clip consists of a sheet metal plate bent to provide a central bearing sleeve for the part 13 of the spring. Each end of this plate is provided with a longitudinally extending slot as shown at 15 and these slots are adapted to be arranged in registering relation with a similar slot 16 provided in the base plate 5 of the saddle top andthe slot 17 in the leather layer 7. Before Lil the upper leather Alayer 8 secured in place, a fastening member 18 shown in detail in Fig. 3 is applied. As herein illustrated this member consists of a sh'anlt provided at one end with laterally diverging lugs 19 and at its other end with a suitable head 20. The distance between the ends of the lugs 19 is such that said lugs may be readily passed through the coincidin-g slots 15,` 16 and 17. rihe fastening member is then turned through an angle of 90Oto position said lugs 19 transversely of said slots. As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the lower end portion ot the metal clip 14 is then bent downwardly against one side of the lugs 19 yand serves to lock said fastening member against nrotation whereby said lugs might become positioned i'nalignmlent with the slots 15, and thu's release the clip 14 from its connection in the saddle' top.

To the rear end ofthe saddle top, the

intermediate portion of a U-shaped hanger rod 21 is connected clips 22 which are simi ar to the clips 1st and are also secured to the under side of the saddle topvby tastenmembers 23 of the ysame construction as the member 18 just described.

Each of the depending end portions of the hanger rod 21 supports a cushioning spring. Each of these springs is formed from a length of resilient steel wire of some whatlighter gauge ythan the spring 11 and has an upper conically or spirally coiled sectio'n 24, the coils gradually decreasing in diameter from the lower to the upper end of said section and the upper end coil closely surrounding the hanger rod. Each Aspring also includes a lower cylindrically coiled section 25, the upper end coil of which is co1ine-cted with the lower end coil of the section 2li by the obliquely extending portion 2G oit the spring wire. The lower end coil of the spring section 25 terminates in an eye QT which closely surrounds thev hanger rod 21 but permits ot' Yfree movement ot said rod through the eye.

Rearwardlyv oi the clamping device 12, the spaced ivtions o themain spring 11 are bent to provide guide loops 28 forxtlieend portions or the rod 21, said loops being of considerablyless diameter than the lower sections 25 of the cushioningl springs. From these loops the ends ofthe main spring 11 are extended downwartllj,7 as shown at Q9 through the respective spring sections 25 and tern'iinate at their lower .ends yin the guide eyes '3U for the hanger rod, said .guide eyes 3,0 providing bearings for the lower ends 27 of the spring sections Upward n'loi'ement of the hanger rod Vthrough the eyes 30 is 'limitedby the washer .n plates 31 which. are retained upon the ends of the hangerrodg bythe transverse pins or keys SQyor othersuitable retainin* means u in the Operation f a@ @sie as@ @iescribed, whenzthe wheels ot the 'vehicle encounter an obstruction, in the downward movement of the saddle top at its rear end under the weightl of the rider, as the vertical en d portions of the hanger rod 21 move downwardly through the guide loop 2S and eye 30 on the ends of the main spring 11, the initial movement is cushioned by the spring sections 25. Furth-er downward movement ot the saddle top is cushioned by the spring sections 2li. rlhis compression ot' thek spring sections 211 is transmitted through the spring sections 25 to the lower ends of the spaced parts of the main spring 11, the resistance ot which is finally overcome so that said rear end portions of the main spring will cushion any further or eX- cessive lmovement of the saddle top. ln the reboui'id or upward movement oi" the saddle top,I the` spring sections and 25 expand, and uthe guide eyes 8O on the lower end of the spaced parts of the main spring 11 exert an upward bearing pressure against the lower end coil ot' the spi-inc sections 25, thus tending to compress said spring sections aiid thereby ellectively absorb the rebound shock. have herein shown the parts 25) and 30 as integral extensions of the main spring 11, but it will be apparent that it desired, these parts maybe separately formed and the rear ends of the spring 11 formed withl eyes lto receive the vertical parts of the rod 21 and exerting an upward bearing pressure against eyes formed on the upper end of the parts 29. T he same result is therehv produced, namely,A that the main spring 101 tends to yieldingly urge the parts 29 upwardly and thereby compress the coils ot the spring sections 25.

From the foregoing description considered in, connection with the accompanyingl drawing, the construction and manner ot operation ot my pr sent,improvements will be clearly understood. It will be seen that bv reason of the new 'torni o'lE the vertical cushioning springs and the cooperative arringement ot these springs in connection with the rear ends ojt' the main spring` 11r that avery etl'ective shock absorbing nieans is provided and the transmission of such shocks or vjars through the vehicle trainato the rider is reduced to a minimum. lt will also be observed that while l provide means for very securely fastening the saddle top to the elements of the cushioning means, no nuts or other parts are used which might re dily work loose and be lost. t the Sametime, when necessary itl is possible to readily detiicli the saddle top bypsimply leiifglingjthe' down turned ends of the clips l-l. and Q2 upwardly so that the 'fastening members 18 and 23 can be rotated, and thus permitthe terminal lugs of these .fastening meister-stops@ tra@ugh the slots 'in the @pas the @1139s. what i @earthly pielit) ist)

vide fastening members of the form shown with comparatively heavy lugs 19, if desired split rivets may be used as a substitute for such fastening members.

It is also to be understood that the particular form in which the main spring l1 is illustrated in the accompanying drawing is not essential, and this spring may be of various other desired shapes and also mounted in position upon the seat post or other frame part of `the vehicle in any desired manner. Therefore, 'while I have herein shown one satisfactory embodiment of my present improvements, it is nevertheless to be understood that the essential features thereof might be incorporated in various Iother alternative structures, and I therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting io all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the. spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a saddle top, cushioning means for said'saddle top including a longitudinally extending main spring pivotally connected at its forward end with the saddle top and having spaced lportions provided with guides at their rear ends, a vertically disposed. hanger pivotally connected to the rear end of the saddle top and having spaced parts movable through said guides, and a cushioning spring on each of said spaced parts of the hanger, and said guides on the spaced parts of said main spring constituting bearings for the lower ends ofy said cushioning springs.

2. In combinati-on with a saddle top, cushioning means for said saddle top in-- cluding a longitudinally extending main spring pivotally connected at its forward end with the saddle top and having spaced portions provided with guides at their-rear ends, a vertically disposed hanger pivotally connected to the rear end 'of the saddle top and having spaced parts movable through said guides, and a cushioning spring on each of said spaced parts of the hanger, each of said cushioning springs having an upper conically coiled section and a lower cylindrically coiled section, the terminal coils of the latter sections of said spring having bearing pressure upon the extremities of the spaced parts of said main spring.

3. In combination with a saddle top, a main longitudinally extending spring pivotally connected at its forward end with the saddle top and having spaced portions, a hanger pivotally connected with the saddle top at its rear end and having spaced. vertically disposed depending parts, a cushioning spring surrounding each of said hanger parts, each of said springs having an upper conically coiled section and a lower cylindrically coiled section, the rear ends of said spaced parts of the main spring extending downwardly through Said cylindrically coiled sections of the respective cushioning springs and terminating in guide eyes for the hanger and also constituting bearings for the lower ends of the cushioning springs.

4. In combination with a saddle top, a .main longitudinally extending spring pivotall,7 connected at its forward end with said saddle top, said spring having spaced parts each of which is bent at its rear end to provide vertically spaced guides, a hanger pivotally connected to the rear end ofthe saddle top and having spaced parts extending through said guides, and a cushioning spring surrounding each of the hanger parts and bearing at its upper end against the i-.anger and at its lower end upon one of the. guides of said main spring.

5. In combinationwith a saddle top, a U-shaped hanger rod piv'otally connected with said saddle top at it-s rear end and havingy spaced depending parts, and a cushioning spring surrounding each of said hanger parts, each of said springs having an upper conically coiled section and a lower cylindrically coiled section connected with the lower end coil of the conical section by asharply angled part of the spring wire vertically spacing said coiled sections f rom each other.

6. In combination with a saddle top, a U -shaped hanger rod pivotally connected with said saddle top at its rear end and having spaced depending parts, and a cushioning spring surrounding each of said hanger parts, each of said springs having an upper conically coiled section and a lower cylindrically coiled section connected with the lower end coil of the conical section by an obliquely extending. part of the spring wire, and a longitudinally extending supporting spring pivotally connected at its forward end to thev saddle top and having spaced parts extending at their rear ends between the upper and lower sections of the cushioning springs and provided with means constituting guides for the hanger parts, and connections between said guide means and the bottom coil of the lower cylindrical section of the cushioning spring tending to compress the latter and cushion the return movement of the saddle top to its normal position.

7. In combination with a saddle top and cushioning means therefor, said saddle top having a base plate provided with slots therein, means for fastening parts of the cushioning means to the under side of the saddle top consisting of metal clips each bent to provide asleeve therein and having a longitudinal slot in each of its end portions adappted to register with one of the slots in the saddle plate, and-a fastening member having lugs at one end adapted to be inserted through vthe slot in the saddle plate and the slots in the ends of said clips and then turned to position the lugs at right angles-to the latter slots, and one end of said clip adapted to be bent at an angle in respect to the other end thereof and against one side of said lugs to lock the fastening member against turning movement.

8. In combination with a saddle top, a member extending longitudinally `beneath the saddle top adapt-ed to be iiXed upon a cycle frame and pivotally connected at its forward endto thesaddle top, the rear end ot said member being vertically extended and provided with vertically spaced guides, a depending rod pivotally connected with the rear end oi thecsaddlctop and loosely engaged in the guides tor movement therethrough, and a cushioning spring surrounding said rod and bearing at its lower end upon the lowermost guide.

9. In combination with a saddle top, cushioning means or said saddle top including a spring member extending longitudinally beneath the saddle top and pivotally connectecL therewith at its forward end, the rear end of said spring member being angularly disposed and formed with spaced guides, a rod pivotally connected with the rear end oi the saddle top and loosely extending through said spaced guides, and a cushioning spring surrounding said rod and bearing at its lower end against one o -said guides.

l0. In combination with a saddle top, a bearing below and in spaced relation to the saddle top, and a cushioning member interposed between said bearing and the saddle top and having integrally connected portions successively and independently responsive to cushion the downward movement of the saddle top.

Il. In combination with a saddle top, a bearing below and in spaced relation to the saddle top, and a cushioning member interposed between said bearing and the saddle top and having independently compressiblc portions successively responsive to cushion the downward movement oi the saddle top.

l2. In combination with a saddle top supported for vertical movement, cushioning means for said. saddle top including parts successively and independently compressible in the downward movement ot the saddle top, and additional cushioning means for the saddle top responsivcto the cumulative forces of compression borne by said first named cushioning means.

18. In combination with a saddle top supported Jfor vertical movement, a cushioning member arranged beneath the saddle top and having integrally connected portions successively a d independently compressible in the downward movement of the saddle top, and additional cushioning means tor the saddle top responsive to the cumulative forces oi' compression borne by said cushioning member.

14. In combination with a saddle top mounted for vertical movement, a cushioning member arranged beneath the saddle top and having independently compressible portions successively responsive to the downward movement ot' the saddle top, and an additional cushioning member constituting a bearing for the lower end of said lirst named member and responsive to the cumulative forces of. compression borne by said iirst named member.

15. In combination with a vertically movable load receiving member, a coiled cushioning spring for said member having upper and lower sections independently responsive to relatively different load pressures and integrally connected by an intermediate, sharply angled part of the spring vertically spacing said sections Jfrom cach other.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereto.

HENRY M ESINGER. 

